The Absence of Red
by Oslointhewinter
Summary: After denying Ash's marriage proposal two years ago, Misty has to accept the fact that he has found happiness with someone else. What makes matters even worse is that she has to attend their freaking wedding. Pokeshipping and Advancedshipping


Disclaimer: Don't own anything!

Author's Note: okay the first chapter is kinda too fast paced but it's more of a prologue. No flames please J

The Absence of Red

Chapter 1: In the Beginning

Misty woke up in Ash Ketchum's room. She peaked down from her top bunk to see if May was still asleep in the larger bunk underneath hers. May's bed was empty, but she didn't bother to make it. Her pillow was on the ground along with her pajamas and a candy wrapper. Misty smiled to herself. Her friend was such a slob sometimes. She decided to lay back in her own bunk for a good ten minutes before grudgingly rising up to clean up a little. Normally she didn't clean up after May, but she felt bad leaving her mess there in Delia Ketchum's house.

As she was making May's bed, she picked up the plain white pillow and uncovered a picture frame underneath. The glass on the frame had a very small crack in it from being slept on. In the frame was a black and white picture of Misty and Ash outside of the Indigo League. Ash was holding his Master's trophy in one hand and had the other arm wrapped around Misty's shoulder. This was the day Ash became Pokemon Master. Misty felt a small feeling of guilt in the pit of her stomach. She knew it wasn't May's photo. In fact, it would have upset May if she found out her fiancé stashed a photo of him and Misty under his pillow. Misty knew she had to hide it. She quickly stashed it in her red knapsack.

She knew Ash didn't sleep in that bed since he moved to the Indigo League two years ago. He must have left it behind. It pained Misty to remember the last time she was here in Pallet with him. He had come home from a long trip to Mt. Silver and Misty was allowed to stay in the guest bedroom. When Delia would fall asleep, the two would sneak to each other's rooms in the middle of the night. She loved being able to spend the whole day with him. Two blissful weeks passed like this until Misty had to leave for Sootopolis City to begin a long course of training with the world-famous Wallace in order for her to become Water Master. Misty felt bad about leaving Ash and her friends behind, but after all, this was her dream.

_Two months had passed and Misty heard very little from Ash. Her training left her extremely busy. But here she was, learning secrets about breeding and meeting rare water Pokemon. Thinking of home made her sad, but there was little time for that. She was surprised when she found Ash at the door of the hotel she was staying in. But she let graciously welcomed him. He stayed for a few days and Misty found time to show him the sights of this underwater city. They explored ruins together and visited museums. Tourist things. _

_On his last day in Sootopolis, Misty arrived late from work. They went out to dinner and preceded to walk back to the hotel afterwards. Ash took her hand in his and took a second to kiss her against the window of a closed diner. She smiled at him, revealing perfectly white teeth under her red lips. _

"_Is there anywhere else you'd like to go before we officially head back?" Ash asked. He had her pressed close to him now and could feel her shaking her head from under him. He looked down to find her eyes eager to meet his. He loved looking at her and finding her eager to make love. And that is exactly what they did when they got back. _

_Now the two were lying there in just there underwear. Misty wished she could hold on to this moment forever. She wished that he didn't have to go back to the Indigo League tomorrow._

"_I'm going to miss you when I'm gone," she told him. Ash's eyes were serious for a moment. He reached in his jacket for something, but decided against pulling it out._

"_When you get back, we could get married." He said shyly. That's when he pulled out a box containing a brilliant diamond on a silver band from his jacket. Misty marveled over the beautiful ring, but pushed it back towards him._

"_I'm not coming back for another year or two, Ash. Things could change. I don't have time for anything because of my work. I'd love to marry you, but I think we need to wait until I move back. Things could be different." It wasn't easy for the words to come out, but she knew they needed to be said. How could she expect to be in a relationship when her work consumed her life? What if she met someone? What if he met someone?_

"_You…You mean to say you don't think we'll survive these two years?" He asked. He found his answer in Misty's silence, in the look of shame on her face._

"_I want to marry you, Ash Ketchum. But please just tell me you'll wait til I get back for us to discuss this." She pleaded. He held her tightly against himself without saying anything else. Misty held on tight to the arms that embraced her, taking this as his compliance with her wishes. _

_She didn't expect to wake up to find him gone three hours early. He didn't leave a note. The black velvet box and the ring were gone. She sank down onto to the ground and wept. Saying no at a time like this was the right thing to do. Wasn't it? In that moment it was clear she had made a mistake in saying no. And it would always be clear to her from that moment on._

A year later, Misty found out from Brock that Ash and May were now together and were officially engaged. She didn't expect the news to hit her as hard as it did. She was furious with the both of them. Especially May. She had been one of her best friends. How could she do this to her? And if Ash had truly loved her, why was he now engaged to someone else? Misty could only do one thing - indulge herself in work to keep her mind off it. She received many calls and letters from May that begged her to speak to her, but they all went unanswered. Ash didn't bother to contact her. A year and five months passed without any word from Ash. She had done great work in Sootopolis and was named the official Water Master by Wallace. It was a dream come true, but somehow something felt incomplete. She knew what it was. Now it was time for Misty to return to Cerulean.

Her sisters and Brock had greeted her from the airport. A party was held in the Cerulean City gym for Misty. For the first time in months, Misty felt truly happy. It didn't last long. After the party, Brock handed her a big cream colored envelope. Misty tore it apart, already knowing what it was. It was a specially embroidered invitation to Ash and May's wedding four months from now. Brock held her as she wept over the piece of paper.

"I'm sorry, Misty. I really am. I promised Ash I would give it to you," Brock said.

"You know I can't," she whispered. And so that was that. Or so Misty thought. Many, many visits from May finally got her to agree to go. The two even decided to give their friendship another shot, just as long as talk of Ash was kept very limited. Misty felt apprehensive about it, but May kept true to her promise about not bringing up Ash. Misty remembered how much she enjoyed May's company. Things between them were truly okay for once. After all this time, she was okay with Ash getting married. Misty made the mistake of saying no two years ago and she would just have to accept that he found someone who could give him what he wanted.

And that's the story of how Misty found herself here in Delia Ketchum's house, waiting to attend the wedding of Ash and May that was going to happen in just two weeks. Misty really didn't know how she got herself in these situations.

Ash was due to arrive in Pallet later in the afternoon today. Misty wanted to back out and book the first train to Cerulean. They hadn't seen each other in two years, since the day in Misty's Sootopolis hotel room. _Seriously. How did I end up here? Things were much simpler in the beginning when she had been an awkward girl of age twelve and Ash was just an annoying eleven year old. _


End file.
